The present invention relates generally to the field of paving and more specifically to the longitudinal pavement joints occurring when roadways are paved in partial-width sections.
As used herein: “pavement” refers to any material—including, without limitation, asphalt concrete, Portland cement concrete, HMA, soil, or gravel—laid down over a pre-existing roadway; “roadway” refers to any surface on which a paving machine (paver) may be driven including, without limitation, streets, roads, highways, driveways, bicycle paths, jogging paths, runways, and unpaved road beds; “paving” refers to the process of laying down pavement.
In a wide variety of applications, pavement-shaping devices are used to produce a desired shape at an edge of a paved roadway. Often, the desired shape provides a ramp to allow vehicles to more easily and more safely regain the paved roadway after inadvertently driving off the edge.
In some instances, roadways are paved in partial-width sections, creating a temporary pavement edge which is eventually incorporated into a longitudinal pavement joint between adjacent partial-width sections of pavement. In these instances, the desired shape often provides additional features to promote effective sealing of the longitudinal pavement joint.
Opportunities exist, therefore, to provide an improved longitudinal pavement joint and a device for making that joint.